Power-actuated implement.



0. 0. APP,

POWER ACTUATED IMPLEMENT.

APPLICTXON FILED MAR. 5, 1912. n Lfe Faisant@ jan. 1918.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET l /l i' W fg WZ@ V5@ Maiz@ 4a? jj 1 plement being especially adapted for use in ifa ratifiant on a oLIvEno. APP, or NEW YORK, n. Y.

rownanorimrnn IMPLEMENT.

` Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. t5, ttig.

Application led March 5, 1912. Serial 1lo.'681,754.

To all whom it may concern.'

. Be it known vthat I, OLIVER 0.; PP, a

citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, inthe borough of Manhattan and Y State4 of New York, have invented certain new and usefu-l Improvements in Powerdriving tunnels, shafts' and in operations generally upon rock and like surfaces.

'A In myapplication for United States Letl ters Patent, Serial No. 669,718, renewed Jan.

5, 1912, I have shown an implement of this 4 general description, and the herein described construction is the result of considerable expermentation looking toward the further (leve'l'opment of said implement.

. In a certain lsense therefore the Vpresent invention; is an improvement upon my earlier construction; but it involves more than a merel. improvement inl certain particulars, in t'lat new principlesof operation are utilized.

In all other iiuid pressure tool actuating devices of the typeI inqUeStiOn, with which tice to admit live air, orthe like,l back of the hammer or plunger, when the latter is upon its 'return stroke, to gradually check the .backward movement l.and ultimatelyv to send the hammer forward again.- lAs'long as the hammer is not particularly heavy or` the speed of its movement not very great,

that it entailsv Ia waste of pressure. Huid.'

this dependence upon live air as a buffer is l not particularly objectionable, 'other than' When, however, las in the present apparatus, the speed'of movement of thehammeror .plunger Jis very great indeed,'both .on the.

forward and back strokes, andjthe plunger is relatively heavy, the momentum of the hammer when returning toward the rear of.

the device is so great that it actually drives the live air, toftherealiof the plunger, back into thefpi e'or' condfiiit'from which it is' `supplied,"an `impinges against the rear wall ofthe casing with dangerous' 'foree. .In fact,

I `havein this manner, previous to my development ofthe present construction,l broken steel bands placed `around the rear ing tool is such that solid rock,ihard enough tov cut glass, is broken away, not in chips, `but in large chunks ranging up to three or 'Cfour inches in diameter; and even more. I

have'discovered further that when the tool is drivenwith this violentimpetus into the rock, the latter breaks -away with but few marks of the tool thereon, while'the tool stands up'to the work in a manner which at 'slower speeds of'blow is out of the question.

I n other words, beyond a determined speed,

the harder and faster the blows are struck.

"the lessA- injury to the tool.

@ne of theobjects of the present invention therefore is to provide apparatus for so driving tools adapted to cut rock or other ditcultly worked material. I am acquainted, it has been common prac'- Another object ofthe invention is to greatly increase the efiiciency of impleme s of this character, while minimizing the con- .2"

-oper'ationsgand the like,where` grit is com- -monly present vin the surrounding atmos phere.l

Theseand other objects of my inventian Y will be hereinafterdescribed and the n elements and, combinations of elet-nerfs t whereby they maybe attained will be more particularly 4set forthv in the claims appended hereto. l 1 In the. drawings which form a part heren? and in which like reference characters desigfia.'

Referring said drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal median section of the said preferred embodiment of my invention.

Fig. il is a similar view, but showing the plunger in a different position.

3 is another longitudinal section taken substantially at right angles to that shown in said Fig. 1.

Figa t is a detail cross-section of a sleeve shown inthe foregoing ligures, the section being draivn to an enlarged scale,A and being taken on line lvl-JV of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail cross section of the implement casing, drawn to an enlarged scale, and taken on line Vf-V of Fig. 1.

Fig, 6 is an enlargedescale cross section of said casing and yassembled parts, taken on line VL-V1 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is an enlirged-scale detail, longitudinal section of portion Aof the implement; the section being taken on line VII-- V11 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged-scale cross section taken on line Vl'li-Vllll of Fig. 7.

, 'f he implement easing 1 is preferably pro- ",vided with apertured lugs 2, or' corresponding parts, for attaching it to a suitable support; such as the head of a tunneling machine. The rear end of the casing may also be provided with arcuate lugs 3, or other means, for securing the head d in place thereon. 'This headis recessed for the reception of the end of the casing and has "i'c'laws or hooks 5 which may be drawn into engagement with the lugs d through the instrumentality of a set screw 6, or the like, which' projects through said head into engagement with a cap 7. This cap is preferably made to fit very snugly into a recess.

`.or expansion chamber 8 in the rear end of 'the casing or cylinder, to form an air tight 'connection therewith. The cap is flanged as at 9 to adapt it for engagement with the eytreme end of the cylinder or casing, and. in assembling the'parts, the head 4.- has the claws thereof so positioned with respect to the lugs 3 of the casing that they may be pushed inwardly or downwardly therebetween, the head thereafter being rotated to bring the claws 5 and lugs 3 substantially in alineinent as shown in Fig. 6. lVhen the screw 6 is driven into firm engagement with a Cap 7', 1 1efore seats the cap securely in its recess in .he casing, the claws 5 being f'tthe lugs 3. To prevent masser any inadvertent lateral displacement of the head with respect to the casing, pins 10 may be driven into suitable apertures in the lugs 3, as shown in Figs. 1 and G. The head 4; is'

further so formed as to neatly engage the extremity of the casing all around the same, as at 11. This provides a. pocket or exhaust chamber 1Q between thecap 7 and the walls of the head 4, the function of w iich will be hereinafter more' fully set forth. The casing is bored. for the reception of a plunger or hammer, preferably made from a solid bar of steel, the latter preferably being' substantially cylindrical inform, but having a wide groove or recess 13 therearound,'at the middle thereof, and further having its rear extremity 14 headed or vsomewhat larger in diameter than the forward end 15.

The purpose of the groove 13 is two-fold, in that it not only increases the size of the reservoir chamber hereinafter referred to, but also reduces the bearing surface between the plunger and its casing. The plunger should preferably have an oil fit in the cylin.

der, and I find in practice that about twofor the exhaust ports or conduits 20, 21,'

these conduits delivering into the exhaust chamber 12'above referred to. The forward end of the casing is preferably conically recessed as at 22 for the receptionof a guiding sleeve 23 wherein moves the shank 24 of a tool, broadly designated Q5, which latter may be of any suitable description. The

tapered sleeve 23 is secured in place in -the.

casing by .means of a tapered pin 26, best shown in Fig, 6. To unlock` this sleeve therefore it is merely necessary to knock out the pin 26 of the sleeve 23 from the casing. The provision of this removable sleeve is desirable, since wear is apt tol occur between the shank of the tool and its guide. The shank 24' of the tool, which in the present instance is square in cross-section', may have aniedge thereof1 notched out as at 27', a' pin 28 being driven through the 'casing andthe sleeve 23, vacross this notch. The casing is bored as at 28 to accommodate the head 29 of a port controlling member or sleeve 30, in which is a striking` pin or tappet 31. The sleeve 30 is provided with a plurality of when the sleeve is in its outermost 'duits 34 which posite sides of assetti slotting the casing longitudinally thereof to .10 y `exhaust chamber in the head 4. The sleeve ward end 'l5 of the hammer and the said f 4provide not only the portv area proper 34, but to also provide under-cut or dove-tailed parte adapted for engagement with cover strips 35. These ports. 34l also deliver tothe 30. is also preferably annularly recessed or grooved as at36, so that all the ports 32 are 1n communication with each other; and a series of .ports 37 extend .longitudinally` ,through the sleeve from the respective ports 32 to the chamber formed between the forsleeve. f The; sleeve immediately back ofl its head 29is faceted as at 37', these facets be` ing indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 7 land in full lines in Fig. 4. The purpose of this formation is to invariably admit vair to the interior of the casingl backof the `flange formed by the head 29. In other words, it

y1s never` possible for the head of the sleeve y `to. seat itself. firmly against the shoulder 38 formed is placeddirectly in Vwith the recess 18 in conduits 39 and 40,

in the interior of the casing so as to prevent Y Vthe admission` of compressed air or other 3G pressure'fluid therebetween. The space thuscommunication the casing through the shown in Figs. l and 7. Hence, as long as pressure fluid is ad- AInitted to the reservoir chamber above referred to, the sleeve ward its outermost to drive Vthe tool will tend to move 'toposition andl thereby youtwardly before it, hroughthe instrumentality of the head 31 of the striking' pin, theiatter being normally seated in a recess 42 in the outer face of the sleeve; and it may be here stated that the pressure in the reservoir chamber is l .normally lmaintained substantially constant ibyreason of its connection at all times with lthe line.

,Referring again to the rear end of the y casing it will vhe observed that a plurality of ports or recesses 43 are provided in the l wail designated 17, these recesses being pref- ;.i erably v relatively quite large `in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 5, and extending from l the expansion chamber 8 inwardly' such a distance as to afford communication between the reservoir chamber and said eX- ipansion chamber when the piston head has moved-rearwardly f tion shown in F ig. 2.' thereforeconstitute inlet ports opening into the expansion chamber. mitted to the reservoir chamber through they substantially to the posirThe conduits 43 extends outwardly through the' wall of th" casing, a nipple or connection 46 being provided therefor by means lof which the device may be coupled to a 'veyed away therefrom through a suitable its outermost position t Live air is ad? the implement into the chamber 12 in the manner presently to be described is conexhaust pipe 47, as shown in Figs. l and 2. The operation of the device is as follows:

vAssuming that the nipple 46 has. been connected. to a source of live air, for example, the iiuid rushes in and fills the reservoir chamber disposed substantially at the middle `of the implement. Since' the surface 48 of the hammer or plunger isof greater area `than the surface 49 of the same, it is evident that the vplunger will-normally be driven rearwardly toward the cap 7. Simultaneously, however, the pressure Huid will pass through the conduits 39 and 40 and will then press the sleeve 30 outwardly, therebydriving the tool 25 into its outermost position.

lVhen the sleeve is in this position the ports 32 thereof are in communication with the conduits l40and hence live'air passes inwardly. around the striking pin through the portsl 37 and fills the chamber in front of the piston or plunger. The latter in the meantime. vhas been urgedV rearwardly by the pressure of .the 'air against the surface 48, this vpressure being supplemented now by the pressure against the forward extrem- 10o ity of the piston, and the latter' will hence move rearwardly until it uncovers vthe forward extremities of the conduits or ports 43, whereupon the 4live air immediately passes also to the rear of the piston or plunger and balances-the vpressures above referred to. y

As long, therefore, as the sleeve 30 is in v he piston will there-` Assuming now that 11.10

after remain inactive. the tool 1,25 has been brought into engagement wit ai surface to be operated upon and 'that the said surface is of rock, vor the like. When suflicient pressurehas .been applied against said surface by the tool, the shank of the latter will be driven back toward and into the casing. This forces the sleeve 30 rearwardly, cutting off connection between the conduits 401 and the. chamber in advance of the piston. The continued 12o rearward movement of the sleeve 30-ultimately throws the latter chamber into communication with theports 33, the pressure fluid then escaping from said chamber through the ports 37, 32, 33 and 34, into-the 125 rear or exhaust chamber 12, from whence it is free to flow away from the device through the pipe 47,.. this action occurs, how-I ever, the pressures upon the respective ends of the piston become unbalanced and the 21 into the exhaust chamber behind the cap .7, from whence it also escapes "through the exhaust pipe L17 It is evident that the very latter is driven rapidly forward by the compressed air in the expansion chamber, until it impinges against the striking pin. This blow drives the tool" abruptly outwardly, but as long as the tool is opposed by sufficiently resistant material, the sleeve will not be,

allowed to move forward a sufficient distance to throw the ports 32 intocommunication with the live air 'conduits 40.

Theforward movement of the piston, of course, cuts ofi'l communicationl between the reservoir chamber and the expansion chamber, to the rear ofthe plunger, and the air in saidl last mentioned chamber thereafter operates expansively until the rear end of the piston uncovers the ports 20, which it does when the plunger has 'moved nearly vinto engagement with the striking pin. Thereupon the partially expanded air escapes through the exhaust ports 2O and conduits last portion of 'the stroke of the piston or plunger is made, not under fluid pressure,

but owing tothe momentum acquired by the plunger.

As the surface 48 is at all times subject to the fluid pressure ythere is,

I' strikinglthis. pin, however, there is a tendof course, 'a tendency to urge the plunger again rearwardly, 'but themomentum of the striking mass Ais' sulficient to overcome thisl tendency and to enable it to deliver a very powerful blow against the pin 31; In so ency for the plunger to rebound therefrom and this rebounding action is supplemented `by the pressure' on the surface 48, which resuits therefore in driving the piston toward the cap 7 at a very high velocity. As the port 43 is' again uncovered some live air rushes from the reservoir chamber throughl to the expansion chamber at the rearof the piston tending to stop the rearward'progress Yof the latter. The momentum acquired by thel piston, however, is far morel than sufficient to overcome this forward pressure of the so admitted relativelysmall quantity of live air and the mass plunges toward the cap with but relatively little diminished velocity. The cap 7, as has been stated, is hollow, and its interior walls comprise a cylindrical surface 50, and an outwardly plunger is guided into engagement withy flaring surface 51. The surface 50 is de-l signed to quite closely engagethe head 14 of the plunger, preferably having an oil fit therewith, and the rear extremity of 4the this surface bythe tapered wall 51. The air within the cap 7 may be, and generally is,- to begin with, substantially at the same pressure asisithe live air admitted to thereservoir chamber; but'it is trapped the moment that the piston headv passes the line 52 be tween the. surface SO-and 51; and the continued. rearward movement of. the piston pensaci compresses this trapped air until the pressure of the same has been raised to possibly double, or even more lthan that, the pressure of the'live air admitted to the implement. It is nthus possible to obtain a pressure of from 200 to4 250 pounds, or even 'more, behind the plungerhead. 0f course this'trapped air continues to be compresse until all momentum has been takenout ofthe striking mass, `whereupon movement of the latter is reversed, and it starts toward the striking pin under pressure very greatly in excess of that of the live air admitted to the mechanism. This trapped air acts cxlpansively and by the time that the rear sel through the ports 20, as per the foregoing.A

It will bel understood, of course, that as long as the tool. continues to be pressed inwardly .toward the casing with suflicientforce to overcome the pressure of live air against the head of the sleeve,'the plunger will contin'ue to reciprocate.

lI particularly desire to emphasize the fact that what I have endeavored to accomplishin this mechanism appears to be distinctly at variance to common practice in that I endeavor to increase the backward momentum, instead of diminishing the same.

In most devices of this description, as here' tofore constructed, every effort has been made todestroy this backward momentum at the earliest possible moment, preferably immediately after the plunger has impinged against the striking pin. My mechanism, however, makes use of this momentum;l using it to aid in compressing the pressure Huid trapped in the cap 7 in the manner above described, andthis action in turn serves to impart a very rapid forward movement to the plunger. In the device illustrated, the air trapping recess in the cap has a depth of about three-quarters of an inch, and while I have not been able to measure it definitely?, I have reason to believethat the plunger moves into this recess at least to a depth of from threefeighths to one-half inch. The, plunger therefore moves forwardly for a distance of at least p-three-eighths of an in ch under a pressure, for

a considerable portion of such distance,

above line pressure. Thereafter itfrnoves forward through a distanceof one inch or v even less on line pressure; at 'which time the iac movement' more like those commonly used ports' 43 are covered, the air thereafter act-A Qmg expansively while the plunger travels 'the plunger or hammer travels forward two and one-eighth inches.`

the last portion of its forward stroke under momentum, in the manner above described, the distance so traveled being approximately fiveeighthsof an inch. Ihave stroke of the n n a n v plunger, this distance now being one inch;

with the proper tool to cut rock, the manner in which the rock is broken away from the Vtool strikingly illustrates the value of increasing thel speed and force with` which the tool is driven into the rock; or in other words, it demonstrates the value of increasing the kinetic energy of the striking stroke. of air,

mass above the recognized practice.

lIn this connectiom'also, I may state that sowhen the heads of my machine were broken in the manner above described, I consulted several experts in the art who informed me that the onlything to do stroke, admitting so that it might absorb gradually the momentum .of the' plunger on its backward This would involve a great waste vand this consideration yled to the present invention wherein practically no air is wasted, but rather a very marked saving is effected. A tool operated in accordance with; the present invention stands .up to its work very many times more satisfactorily than vwhen actuated by a plunger or hammer having a in general practice; and I regard the proturned on,

vision of the pressure uid trapping chamber at the rear ofthe plunger as of the very greatest importance in this connection. When the implement isupwardly directed the line pressure not having as yet been the plunger falls downwardly into lthe cap. The interior surface of this latter, I should here state, is provided with a pin scratch 53 in order' to admit the line pressure back of the plunger when so disposed.

Vescape therethrough when This scratch or cut, however, is soj small,that' it does'not permit any considerable amount of the trapped air to the plunger is being driven rearwardly at lwhich it-attains; being of just sufficient size t0 allow air under et pressure to leak or seep njslowly backof the plunger when Athe tool Finally,

or even less, in View of l 'as for example, experiments which greatly was to lengthen the liv'e air for a longer timethe high speed vis vertically disposed manner. de-

i scribed.

certain to occur where a cavity has been open to the atmosphere and air has been expelled therefrom, said cavitythereafter remaining 'open for yeven a short time to the atmosphere during an enlargement of the cavity through the action of the mechanism, upon the return strolie of the piston or plunger. of this character is used in mining or tunneling the air surrounding itis almostcertain to contain fine grit? or dirt and such material linds its way into the working parts of theimplement in an astonishingly short time. Where these parts have to operate with scant clearances a little of this dirt or grit will speedily suflice to scoreL said parts and reduce the efficiency of the mechanism.

Where an appliance I hence regard the provisions of means for excluding this dirt or importance. In illustration of the foregogrit as of very great! ing remarks in vconnection with the herein described mechanism, were it not for the provision of4 the cap 4, upon the return of the plunger fromthe striking pin and assuming that live air is not being 'admitted in the chamber in front ofthe piston owing to the disposition of the .sleeve 30, it is evident that the' rearward movement of the plunger will create a partial vacuum', at least momentarily, in this forward chamber which will cause air-to be sucked in through the conduits 34, 33, ing dirt or grit from the surrounding atmosphere directly into thebore of the implement. l

In s ome cases, where the dirt in the surrounding air is not excessive, it may suce to simply exhaust rearwardly to a point relatively 'remote from the tool, and without the provision of an exhaust chamber or pipe 47; and even this I believe, is contrary to general practice, it being common to eject the air, particularly in front of the piston, directly out toward the toch-the very Worst dispositionof it that can be made.

Further, the ing away the exhaust. pressure, permitsof the use of this implement in submarine work.; it being obvious'that no water can iind admission into the tool, owing to this disposition of fluid emerging therefrom.

Finally, I desire to direct attention to the significance of the word rear as used in the appended claims. Expressions involv- 32 and 37, thereby drawprovision of means for 'carrying said word are. not to be limited by con'- struing tliesame to mean the rearmost part of the striking mass, forexample, but rather to any rearwardly or substantially rearwardly directed-surface,'no matter in what part of theJ plunger o r striking mass such vsurface may be disposed, Whether toward the forward end, middle portion or back end.

Having described my invention, I claim: 1. A'tluid-pressure operated tooll actuating implement, comprising a casing having an inlet and at least one exhaust port, a hammer adapted to be reciprocated by pressure- .iiuid passing through said inlet port, and a movable port-controlling member which coacts with said exhaustport to close the same when the tool is removed from the Work, ,said inlet port being'normally-'open when said parts are so disposed and the pressure- 4iuid thereby admitted through said inlet port tending to hold said member in its port closing position, and a substantially closed conduit leading from said implement, said exhaust per-t clp-:ning into said conduit.

2. A fluid-pressure operatedl implement comprising a i'. 'ston, a casing having a reservoir chanizfer, i inlet portleading therefrom to the front of said piston,`and an exhaust port, a 'port closing member, a striking part adapted to be .moved by said member, said A piston being adapted to momentarily-close.l said inlet port when operating, and said" member being adapted toclose said exhaust port y 3. A iiuid pressure operated implement comprising a casing having an inlet port and an' exhaust port, a piston, a port closing member, a tool striking part adapted to be moved byv said member, said piston beingl adapted to momentarily close said inlet port of said casing When operating, and said member being adapted to close said exhaust port of said casing.

4. vA vfluid pressure operated fimplement comprising a casing having an inlet port and an exhaust port, a piston, a port closing member, a tool striking part adapted to be moved by said-member, and a removable holder for said tool, said piston being adaptd to momentarily close said inlet port of said casing When operating, and said mem` ber being adapted to close vsaid exhaust port of said casing.

5. A fluid-pressure operated tool actuating implement Which comprises a reservoir chamber, an exhaust chamberand an expansion chamber, the latter of variable size, said. implement including a4 piston one face of Wliich constitutes a wall of said expansion chamber, means controlled by said piston for conveying pressure iiuid from said reservoir chamber to said expansion chamber, and

from the latter in turn to said exhaust cham-v ber, and tool actuated means for controlling +1111 Hnw nf glifl Huid.

6. A fluid-pressure operated implement,

vwhich comprises means for normally admit' ting pressure fluid to said implement When inoperative, an expansion-chamber of variable size, said implement including a piston one face of which constitutes a- Wall of said expansion chamber,4 and a striking part,v sai-d" implement further comprising a second to said last mentioned chamber, and means.

controlled by lsaid piston'for admitting pres.- sure fluid tojsaid expansion chamber.

7. A fluid-pressure operated implement,

lWhich comprises means for normally admitting pressure luid to said implement when inoperative, an expansion chamber of variable size, said implement including a piston one face of which constitutes a Wall of said expansion chamber, said implement further comprising tWo other chambers of' variable size, a portion of said piston constituting in each case a'pwall thereof, means for admitting pressure Huid substantially continuously to one of' said chambers When the im. plement is in use, means controlled by said' piston for delivering pressure fluid from said last mentioned chamber to said expansion chamber, and automaticmeans for admitting pressure fluid to the other of said tWo chambers When movement Aof said implement in a determined-direction is 'substantially unopposed.

8. In a fluid pressure operated tool actuating implement, a casing, a piston reciprocably mounted therein and forming a chamber ,of variable size at one end of said casing, inlet and exhaust ports in said casing leading to said chamber and controlled by said piston, said inlet port being positioned to'be opened after said exhaust port has been closed, said extreme end .of said chamber forming With said .piston a' substantially fluid-tight trapping chamber whereby the fluid pressure in' the trapping chamber is compressed by the piston, due to its momentum.

9. In a fluid pressure operated tool actufgr ated implement, a casing, a' ditferential piston reciprocably mounted therein and torni-1 Ving therevvith chambers to the front and rear of. said piston, a source of fluid under pressure, exhaust ports leading from said front and rear chambers, respectively, an

intermediate chamber in said casing sur-l rounding the diierential shoulder'of said piston in communication with saidsource of fluid under pressure, and a'by-pass controlled by said piston connecting said intermediate chamber ivith said rear chamber, said exhaust port for said rear chamber being also controlled by said piston and 'positioned to be closed in the rearwarditravel "ber forming msaei the intermediate chamber and the rear cham ber, 1S estab11shed,sa1 d end of said rear cham- (Sha-mbar in which the ud under pressure is compressed upon the completion of Ythe lzmvel of vthe piston.

with 'said pistonv a trapping` 'In wtess whereof, I subscribe my signature, ln the presence of two ,Wltnesse oLIVER o. APR

Vtnesses WALDo-M. CHAPIN JAMES D. AN'romo. 

